Colossians 4:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“These are of the circumcision.” He restrains the pride of the Jews and encourages them by saying that only a few were “of the circumcision,” while the greater part of the faithful were from the Gentiles.

“Who have been a comfort to me,” he says. He shows that he is in great temptations.

Therefore it is no small thing when we comfort the saints by our presence, by our word, and by constant care for them. We do so when we endure misfortunes together with them, “with prisoners as though prisoners,” he says.

If we take their sufferings upon ourselves, we shall also be partakers of their crowns.

Have you not been brought onto the course? Have you not gone out to the contest? Another is fighting. But if you wish, you too will be a partaker.

Encourage him in the struggle. Be his friend and fellow worker. Proclaim his contests. Stir up his strength and fortify his spirit.

This is how one must act toward all others. Paul himself did not need such participation, but spoke of his temptations in order to encourage them.

So should you also act toward all others. Stop the mouths of those who might wish to slander a brother in temptations. Win friends for him, and if he comes out, receive him with special zeal.

In this way you will share both the crowns and the glory. Even if you did nothing more, but only rejoiced at what is done, you have already taken part, and not in some slight way.

For love has been named, and it is the chief of all goods.

Those who weep, appearing to share another’s sorrow, greatly console others by their tears alone and considerably lighten grief. Still more must the one who rejoices with others give them delight.

As for how great a misfortune it is not to see compassion toward oneself, hear the prophet, who says: “I looked for one to grieve with me, but there was none” (Ps 68:21).

Therefore Paul also says: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15).

Increase joy. If you see that your brother enjoys a good reputation, do not say, “The glory belongs to him, so why should I rejoice?”

One who speaks so is not a brother, but an enemy. If you wish, this glory is not his, but yours. It depends on you to increase it.

You do this as soon as you do not become gloomy over it, but rejoice, are glad, and celebrate. That this is truly so is clear from the following.

The envious envy not only those who enjoy a good opinion, but also those who rejoice in their good reputation.

This means they understand that these latter also deserve a good opinion. Indeed, they especially deserve honor.

One man even blushes when he hears great praises of himself. Another receives special delight from this and is exalted in his own eyes.

Do you not know how it is with wrestlers? One is deemed worthy of a crown, another is not. Yet grief and joy over this belong to their friends and enemies, who leap and dance.

Do you see what it means to be without envy? Another labors, and you receive pleasure. Another is crowned, and you leap and exult.

Tell me, another has gained the victory. Why then do you celebrate? But even the envious understand well that this is a common matter.

Therefore the envious do not rise up against the man who has gained the victory, but try to belittle his victory.

You hear them say such things as, “I have destroyed you,” or, “I have shamed you.” Yet the deed is not yours, though the praise is given to you.

If in relation to outsiders it is so good to be without envy and to take another’s good things close to heart, then this is far truer in relation to victory over the devil.

For then he breathes greater fury against us, precisely when it is evident that we rejoice more. Though he is sunk in evil, he clearly sees that this joy is greater.

Do you wish to make him grieve? Be glad and rejoice. Do you wish to gladden him? Be downcast.

By your despondency you lighten the grief that your brother’s victory caused him. Together with him you become your brother’s adversary. You do an evil greater than his.

It is not the same thing for an enemy to act as an enemy, and for a friend to stand with enemies. This latter man is the most hateful enemy.

If your brother has won a good reputation by his word, by his skill in bearing himself, or by his deeds, share his good reputation with him. Show that he is part of you.

But how? you say. The good reputation is not about me. Never say this. Close your mouth.

If you were beside me and began to speak so, I would close your mouth with my hand, so that the enemy would not hear.

Often we are hostile toward one another, but we do not show it before enemies. Yet you reveal this to the devil.

Do not say this, and do not even think it. Say instead: he is part of me, and the glory from him passes to the whole body.

But you will say: why then do outsiders not have such dispositions? You are the cause of this. When they see that you distance yourself from their joy, they also distance themselves.

If they saw that you considered their joy your own, they would not dare to act in that way.

Moreover, you are just as glorious as your brother. You have not gained glory by eloquence, but by participating in another’s joy you have deserved it more than he.

If love is a great thing and the summit of all things, then you have gained a crown for love. He gains one for the skill of eloquence, and you for fervent love.

He showed the power of speech. But you defeated envy in deed and suppressed ill will. For this you are justly crowned more than he.

Your contest is more glorious. You not only suppressed envy, but also did something else. He has only one crown, but you have two, and both are more brilliant than his one.

What are these crowns? One you gained in the struggle against envy. The other crowns you for love.

Rejoicing with another is proof not only that you are free from envy, but also that love has taken root in your heart.

He is often burdened by the human passion of vainglory. But you are free from every passion. For if vainglory were in you, you would not rejoice in another’s success.

Tell me, has he exalted the Church and increased the church gathering? Praise him again. You have a double right to the crown, because you have conquered envy and adorned yourself with love.

Yes, I ask and implore you. Do you wish to hear also of a third crown? Men applaud him on earth, but angels applaud you in heaven.

For it is not the same thing to excel in eloquence and to conquer the passions. For the first there is temporal praise, but for the second eternal praise. For the first praise comes from men, but for the second from God.

The man famed for eloquence is crowned openly. But you are crowned in secret, where your Father sees you.

If it were possible, after being loosed from the body, to see the soul of each person, I would show you that this latter man is more honored than the first and shines more brightly in comparison with him.

Therefore, beloved, let us suppress envious impulses within ourselves. Let us use the benefits that come from this. Let us place the crown upon ourselves.

The envious man goes against God, not against the person whom he envies. When he sees that someone enjoys good favor among men, is grieved by this, and wishes to tear down the Church, he goes not against this man, but against God.

Tell me, if someone began adorning the king’s daughter, so that this adornment might make her more honorable and give her esteem among people, and another wished to disfigure her, against whom would he be rising up?

Would he rise against the one adorning her, or against her and her father?

So too you, envious man, go against the Church and rise up against God. Since the good reputation of your brother is joined to the benefit of the Church herself, the destruction of the former necessarily destroys the latter.

Thus, by acting to the harm of the body of Christ, you do the work of Satan.

You are vexed at one who has caused you no offense, and still more at Christ Himself. What has He done to you, that you do not allow His body to flourish in beauty?

Why do you not allow His bride to appear in her adornment? But see also what the punishment is.

You gladden your enemies. And even the one who has gained a good reputation, whom you try to grieve through envy, you cause instead to rejoice.

For by your envy you prove even more clearly that he truly has stirred up a good opinion about himself. Otherwise you would have nothing to envy.

You make it still clearer that this is a real punishment for you.

I am ashamed to present such arguments to you. But since we are in such a dangerous condition, may we at least after such admonitions be delivered from this destructive passion.

Are you vexed because he has gained a good reputation? Why then do you increase his glory still more by your envy?

Do you wish to take revenge on him? Why then do you show that you yourself are tormented?

Why do you call punishment upon yourself rather than upon the one whose glory you cannot bear?

In the end, for him there will be double joy, and for you double punishment.

First, by your envy you not only bear witness to his great merits, but also give him another pleasure, because you punish yourself.

Then he rejoices further that he causes you vexation, and he rejoices precisely because of your envy.

Do you see what cruel blows we inflict on ourselves without feeling them?

But he is an enemy. Why is he an enemy? What wrong has he done?

Yet we give new brilliance to the glory of an enemy, while we torment ourselves more.

Again, we find punishment for ourselves when we think he knows this. Perhaps he is not even rejoicing. But because we think he rejoices, we are also tormented by this.

Therefore cease envying. Why wound yourself?

Beloved, let us keep all this in mind: the double crown for those without envy, that is, praise from men and from God, and also the evil that comes from envy.

Then we shall be able to put this beast to death, acquire glory before God, and receive the very same thing attained by those deemed worthy of glory.

Perhaps we shall receive it. But if we do not receive it, then we shall not receive it for our own benefit.

For even without it, we shall be able to live for the glory of God and be counted worthy of the good things promised to those who love Him.

May this be by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

They have been a comfort to me. The Apostle shows that he is in great trials, and that those men were great, since they served as a comfort to Paul. Notice how the one who comforts a prisoner is declared with him a participant in the Kingdom. Therefore those persecuted for Christ must be protected in every way.

Then follow commissions and instructions. The Epistle to the Colossians is to be read also in the Laodicean church. The one from Laodicea is also to be read by the Colossians. Archippus, the head of the Colossian church after Epaphras, is to be given an apostolic reminder about zealous fulfillment of his pastoral duties (Col 4:16-17). Finally comes the concluding note in the Apostle Paul's own hand: Remember my bonds. Grace be with you all. Amen.

23). His memory is blessed on April 15 and September 27.

Still more is said about Mark in the book of Acts. After the holy Apostle Peter was miraculously delivered from prison, he came to the house of Mark's mother, Mark also being called John. At that time Mark's uncle Barnabas and Paul were in Jerusalem, having brought alms from Antioch. When they returned, they took Mark with them (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5), but he soon left them (13:13). Bishop Theophan supposes that Mark was sent to Paul by his mother and her brother Barnabas. After staying with Paul in Rome, he was to return to Jerusalem through Colossae. There, by Paul's command, the Christians were to receive him with the fullest possible love, as a man who had labored much for the faith of Christ. The memory of St. Mark-John is on September 27 and January 4.

Concerning Justus, the book of Acts reports that he was chosen, together with Matthias, as a candidate for the number of the twelve Apostles (1:23). St. Dimitry of Rostov relates that he was bishop in Eleutheropolis. Together with the other seventy Apostles, he is blessed on January 4, and separately on October 30.

For explaining the Apostle's words that these three men were his only comforters and fellow workers in Rome, the following words of John Chrysostom are important. He restrains the pride of the Jews, and encourages the Colossians from among the Gentiles by saying that there are not many from the circumcision. The greater part of the faithful are from the Gentiles.

Having listed these three, probably because they were especially known to the Colossians, St. Paul counts it to their praise that they served as a comfort to him. Blessed Theodoret and Oecumenius say, This is the greatest praise, to become a cause of joy and comfort for the Apostle. St. Chrysostom says, From this it is clear that they were great men, since they served as comfort to Paul. The words these alone must be understood as meaning chiefly before the others. They cared so much, and with such love, for the comfort of St. Paul, that they overshadowed all others.

St. Paul, though in bonds, evidently enjoyed many allowances. Yet bonds, being bonds, could not fail to require consolation. All who were with him, and those outside who knew him, were ready to give it. But the three who have been mentioned comforted him more than all.

These alone are fellow workers for the Kingdom of God. They were not the only fellow workers. Rather, from among the fellow workers, they alone, more than others, were a comfort to him. Fellow workers for the Kingdom means helpers in the work of establishing the Kingdom of God, or the Holy Church. Their cooperation in this work is mentioned as an added point. The chief point is that they were a comfort. This is added so that no one should think they deserve praise only for relieving the Apostle's privations, which were unavoidable in bonds. No, he says, they are also my fellow workers in the work of establishing the Church. Yet they were not the only such men. The Apostle had many fellow workers. He knew how to choose capable men and, by employing them in the work of God, to obtain crowns for them.

Why is it mentioned that they were of the circumcision? Blessed Theophylact thinks this is to their praise, for at that time it seemed a great thing to be from the Jews. But St. Chrysostom says, He restrains the pride of the Jews, and encourages the Colossians, Christians from the Gentiles, by saying that those of the circumcision are not many. The greater part of the faithful are from the Gentiles. Ambrosiaster reasons thus: He gives testimony to these alone, because they, though circumcised, were his helpers. They always agreed with his judgment, shared his convictions, and preached that circumcision was no longer necessary. Therefore he calls them his fellow participants in the Kingdom of God, meaning that they will receive the same reward as he. To preach that one must be circumcised and observe Sabbaths and new moons is not spiritual, but earthly. One may also confess ignorance, while not doubting that St. Paul needed to mention this because of the circumstances of that time, even if one does not know precisely why.